2012 AIChE Annual Meeting

(476d) Chemical Processing of Fructose-Derived Humins

Authors

Heltzel, J. - Presenter, University at Buffalo, SUNY
Patil, S. K. R., University at Buffalo, SUNY

Humins are dark-colored solids that form during the acid-catalyzed conversion of fructose and other carbohydrates to levulinic acid. Before humins can form, some fructose must be converted to 5-hydroxymethylfurfuraldehyde (HMF), and part of the HMF must then be converted to 2,5-dioxo-6-hydroxyhexanal (DHH). DHH is highly reactive and undergoes aldol addition/condensation with available aldehydes and ketones present at reaction conditions. The average humin particle size, size distribution and morphology can be affected by the solvent, acid catalyst and aldehydes or ketones added to the system. For example, addition of formaldehyde leads to spherical particles with a relatively small diameter and narrow size distribution. Humins that have been recovered from the fructose conversion process can be modified through aldol chemistry. In this way, chemical functionality can be added to the humins which is a necessary step for transforming them from a waste byproduct to a value-added co-product of fructose conversion. Humins formed during fructose conversion can also be dissolved either by changing the pH of the aqueous solution or by separation and addition of an appropriate solvent. Dissolution of the humins facilitates further heterogeneous catalytic processing.
See more of this Session: Catalytic Processing of Fossil and Biorenewable Feedstocks: Fuels III

See more of this Group/Topical: Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division